Example embodiments may provide a magnetic device using magnetic domain dragging and a method of operating the same. An example embodiment magnetic device may include a data storage cell with a free layer having a switchable magnetization direction and a plurality of adjoining magnetic domains, a reference layer formed to correspond to a portion of the free layer and having a pinned magnetization direction, wherein a plurality of data bit regions may be formed in an array in the free layer, each of the data bit regions being formed with an effective size unit of the reference layer, so that the data storage cell may store a plurality of bits of data in an array, and a first input portion electrically connected to at least one of the data bit regions of the free layer and the reference layer to apply at least one of a writing signal and a reading signal; and a second input portion electrically connected to the free layer to drag data stored in data bit regions of the free layer toward an adjacent data bit region, and applying a dragging signal for magnetic domain dragging.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A magnetic device comprising: a free layer having a switchable magnetization direction, a plurality of adjoining magnetic domains, and a plurality of data bit regions; a reference layer corresponding to a portion of the free layer and having a pinned magnetization direction; a first input portion electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of data bit regions of the free layer and to the reference layer, the first input portion being configured to apply at least one of a writing signal and a reading signal; and a second input portion electrically connected to the free layer, the second input portion being configured to drag data stored in the plurality of data bit regions of the free layer toward an adjacent data bit region by applying a dragging signal.
2. The magnetic device of claim 1 , wherein the free layer and reference layer constitute a data storage cell.
3. The magnetic device of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of the data bit regions are arrayed in an effective size of the reference layer and configured to allow the data storage cell to store a plurality of bits of data in the array.
4. The magnetic device of claim 1 , wherein the writing signal is a switching current in a pulse form.
5. The magnetic device of claim 4 , wherein the reading signal is a pulse current of lesser magnitude than the switching current.
6. The magnetic device of claim 4 , wherein one of the switching current and the pulse current for reading are applied alternately with the dragging signal, so a magnetic domain dragging operation follows each data storing operation and a data reading operation in a sequence of operations.
7. The magnetic device of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of data bit regions includes at least one magnetic domain and wherein each of the plurality of data bit regions performs magnetic domain dragging.
8. The magnetic device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of data bit regions includes at least one magnetic domain, and wherein each of the plurality of data bit regions performs magnetic domain dragging, and wherein a magnetic domain dragging operation follows each data storing operation and a data reading operation in a sequence of operations.
9. The magnetic device of claim 1 , further comprising: a non-magnetic layer between the reference layer and the free layer.
10. The magnetic device of claim 9 , wherein the non-magnetic layer includes a conductive material.
11. The magnetic device of claim 9 , wherein the non-magnetic layer includes an insulating material and acts as a tunneling barrier.
12. The magnetic device of claim 2 , further comprising: a buffer cell that is formed on at least one side of the data storage cell and is configured to store data dragged outside of the data storage cell during magnetic domain dragging.
13. The magnetic device of claim 2 , wherein a plurality of data storage cells form an array and at least one first input portion is formed per data storage cell.
14. The magnetic device of claim 12 , wherein the buffer cell is located between two adjacent data storage cells.
15. A method of operating a magnetic device comprising: storing data by a magnetization direction designation of a plurality of data bit regions; reading the stored data according to a magnetization direction of at least one of the plurality of data bit regions; and performing magnetic domain dragging, wherein one of the data storing and the stored data reading are performed alternately to the magnetic domain dragging.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the writing signal is a switching current in a pulse form.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the reading signal is a pulse current has a lesser magnitude than the switching current.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein a magnetic domain dragging operation follows each data storing operation and a data reading operation in a sequence of operations.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the magnetic domain dragging is performed by a data bit region unit.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein a buffer cell stores data dragged outside of a data storage cell during the magnetic domain dragging.
21. The method of claim 15 , wherein data reading and storing is performed in a plurality of data cells.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the data storing operation is performed in the plurality of data cells.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 25, 2007
January 13, 2009
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